


Work of Art

by ScootyPuffJrSucks



Category: Cut & Run - Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-20
Updated: 2014-08-20
Packaged: 2018-02-13 23:41:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2169795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScootyPuffJrSucks/pseuds/ScootyPuffJrSucks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Random AU with Zane as a Tattoo Artist and Ty and Nick owning a sports bar together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Work of Art

**Author's Note:**

> Work in Progress. I went to Artscape in Baltimore about a month ago and decided to write an AU based on it.

“Where are we going again?” Ty asked as he got in Nick’s car.

“Artscape.”

Ty waited for an explanation but it didn’t seem like Nick was going to offer one. “And that is…?”

“Are you kidding me?” Nick glared at Ty from the driver’s seat.

“What?”

“You haven’t seen any of the hundreds of advertisements around the city or in the paper?” Nick turned to focus on pulling out in traffic.

Ty thought for a second. “No.”

“And you didn’t listen to a word I said last night, did you?” Nick said with an exasperated sigh.

“No?”

“I hate you sometimes, Tyler.”

Ty at least felt a little embarrassed, but he’d been busy last night. “I was focused on the bar last night, we were a bit busy you know.”

“You were probably focused on getting some girl’s number.”

“It was a guy, and like you’ve never done the same to me.”

“Fine. We are going to Artscape. It’s a free art festival near MICA. I want to get some art for the bar.”

Ty gaped at Nick. “You want to get art. For the bar. Our bar. I’m sorry, I thought we were running a sports bar, not some fancy cocktail lounge.” It had taken some time and money after the Marines, but six months ago Ty and Nick had finally been able to open the bar they’d always talked about running. It was a two-story sports bar in the Fells Point area of Baltimore that catered to tourists and transplants. The first floor was a dive and pseudo-Irish pub, and the second the sports bar, filled with TVs that mostly played anything but the Os and Ravens. It was probably the only bar in the city that didn’t.

“We can have art! I’m not going to put it upstairs, but I thought the first floor could use it. The walls are a little empty. And I’m not talking like landscapes or portraits or anything. They might have something different that would look good and fill the space.”

Ty narrowed his eyes at Nick. “Who are you, and what have you done with my best friend?”

“Shut up,” Nick grumbled. “You’ve got nothing else to do today, just walk around with me for the afternoon. Maybe we’ll find something.”

“Yeah, a painting of steamed crabs, Old Bay and Natty Boh. I’ll pass.”

It actually wasn’t as bad as Ty expected. They started with lunch at the row of food trucks and made their way through the art market. They did find at least  five different versions of the crabs and Natty Boh painting, but the festival had a lot more to offer. There ended up being a lot of really interesting pieces that would fit in well in the bar. Ty particularly liked the clocks made out of melted and flattened liquor and beer bottles. He wanted to get a few to hang behind the bar and his apartment. He eventually abandoned Nick, who was stuck in a booth filled with vintage maps of different cities, to wander around on his own.

As he walked past booth after booth, one in particular caught his eye. The walls of the booth were filled with canvases of landscapes and city scenes with some framed charcoal drawings mixed in. The city scenes were different. He could identify the location of a few of them, places in Baltimore, Boston, and DC, but they weren’t the most popular spots or the ones the city was known for. They were lesser known, but compelling shops or street corners.  Most of the landscapes were deserts and oceans. There didn’t seem to be anything particularly different about the technique at first glance either, but you could tell that the outwardly sloppy brush strokes were carefully and thoughtfully placed. And the colors. There was just something about the colors in each one.

One painting on the side wall really drew him into the booth. It reminded him of the Appalachian mountains near his childhood home in Bluefield, West Virginia. It perfectly captured the autumn colors in the trees and reminded him so much home. He couldn’t look away.

“Let me know if you have any questions.”

Ty jumped and turned toward the speaker. “Shit, I didn’t see you there.”

The man laughed. Wow. Ty calmed enough to really look at the other man and felt just as enraptured as he had with the painting. The was tall, taller than Ty, with dark, slightly curly hair and dark eyes edged in laugh lines, wearing jeans and white shirt just tight enough to show off the muscular chest and arms covered with tattoos.

When the man laughed softly a second time, Ty shook himself realizing he’d been staring. He looked down and rubbed the back of his neck. “So, are you the artist?”

“That would be me, yes. Zane Garrett.” Ty almost started staring again as tall, dark, and handsome held out his hand.

“Ty.” He said and took Zane’s hand. “Ty Grady. You really are amazing. Uh, I mean the paintings. The paintings are amazing. I really like this one.” He pointed to the one that had drawn him into the booth. “Do you paint these from photographs or have you been to all these places?”

“Both. I’ve been to all the places, but I didn’t paint while I was there. I took pictures and then painted them in my studio at home. That one,” he lifted his chin toward the one Ty had indicated, “I took while driving through the Appalachians. It was near some town in West Virginia. Blue...something. Bluefield? I don’t remember.”

“You’re shitting me!” Ty moved back to look intently at the painting. “No fucking way…”

“What?”

Ty studied the painting more again. It was really beautiful. It definitely wouldn’t fit in the bar, but he could find somewhere to hang it in his apartment. “How much do you want for it?”

“What? Oh, it’s, uh,  three-fifty.”

Ty looked back at Zane considering. The man looked confused and slightly taken aback. “I grew up there. Bluefield, West Virginia. And this,” he pointed at the painting, “is perfect. Reminds me of home. I’ll take it. You take credit card, right?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I do. Let me get your card and then I can wrap it up for you.” The artist seemed a little off balance at he got out his phone which had one of those credit card attachments hooked to it. “Sorry, you’re my first sale, so it make take me a moment to get this thing working.”

“First sale of the festival?” Ty asked as he handed Zane his card. It was fairly early on the first day, so he could understand that, but Zane’s work was something special. He was surprised he hadn’t sold at least a few.

Zane laughed again. “First sale ever. This is first time I’ve ever come out to anything like this. I didn’t think I’d sell anything, so you’ve definitely made me day.” He looked up from his phone and smiled at Ty. That smile and every little laugh from this man were starting to do strange things to Ty’s insides.

“You’re kidding. You’re not a professional artist?”

“Well, actually I guess I am. I’ve just never sold any paintings before. I usually paint for myself and give them away as gifts.” Zane handed Ty back his card. “I’m a tattoo artist. I just moved here and I thought coming out here today could help me promote the new shop and earn some extra cash.” Zane gestured to a table along the opposite wall and moved to take the painting of the wall and get it wrapped up. The table held several open binders. Zane’s portfolio, with photographs and sketches of work he’d done.

“Really?” Ty flipped through the binders. “Wow, these are great. Where’s your shop? Is it in the area? I’ve been thinking of getting some more ink.”

“It’s in Fells Point on Fleet, right off Broadway. We’re opening next month. The outside’s not done yet, but the insides pretty much complete.”

Ty turned to watch Zane finish up with his purchase. “My bar’s right around there.”

“Your bar?”

“Yeah, I run a bar with my buddy, Nick. Sidewinder’s.”

“I’ve been in there a couple times. To watch the Rangers games. It’s a nice place.”

“Thanks, we’ve only been open about six months, but things are going pretty well. Your shop should do well too. It’s a great area.”

“I hope so.” Zane stood and held the wrapped painting out to Ty. “Here you go. Thanks again for being my first sale.” Zane hesitated as Ty took the package before reaching past him to a stack of business cards on the table. He took a pen and scribbled something on the back. “Here’s my card. It has the shop number on it, but I  wrote my cell number on it, too. You should give me a call. To discuss your next tattoo.” Zane smiled shyly at Ty as he held the card out.

Ty took the card and smiled back at Zane. “I’ll do that. Maybe I can be your first again,” he said with a wink. “Though we could discuss it later tonight. I’m tending bar downstairs tonight at Sidewinder’s. You should stop by when you’re done here.”

“Sounds good. I might do that.” Zane’s attention wavered as a few new shoppers took an interest in his work. Ty could see the crowd on the street was looking a little thicker.

“I better go find my friend. Hope I’ll see you around, Zane.”

“Yeah, me too.”

 


End file.
